Rapid urbanisation, scanty rains add to scarcity
Uttarakhand may have identified huge power potential (30,000-40,000 Mw) in the hill state. But during the winter season, the prospects of producing power look bleak, thanks to rapidly falling discharge in major rivers like the Yamuna, Tons and Sharda.
Except Ganga at Rishikesh, the discharge in most of the rivers has fallen rapidly by 30 to 50 per cent this year, creating a big shortfall of electricity in the state.
According to an official estimate, Uttarakhand is currently experiencing 10 million units of shortage, forcing the hill state to buy electricity from outside.
After the rapid fall in Yamuna, Tons and Sharda during the past two months, it is now the turn of Bhilangana river, a tributary of the Bhagirathi, to virtually disappear at Dhattu and other areas of Tehri district. Officials here said the river had now almost become a small stream, reducing the power capacity of two private projects – Bhilangana (22 Mw) and Bal Ganga (4 Mw) by 60 to 70 per cent.
Officials here said the water level in rivers had receded due to scanty rainfall as well as less snowfall. Environmentalists like Chipko leader Sunderlal Bahuguna blame global warming for the falling discharge.
The current discharge in the Yamuna at Vikasnagar is 7 to 8 cumax, which is 50 per cent less as compared with last year. Water in Tons has also reduced to 27 cumax from 36 cumax last year.
Similarly, Bhagirathi at Joshiyara in Uttarkashi district has receded by 30-35 per cent. Owing to various factors including various affects of the prolonged dry spell last year, power generation took a plunge, falling by 20 per cent compared with last year.
The power generation from Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (UJVNL), having installed capacity of 1,304 Mw, after touching 18 to 20 million units during the monsoon, is now hovering around 6 to 8 million units, mainly due to the dry season.
The Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) has already urged the Centre to provide an additional 100 to 200 Mw power to meet the growing demand, especially in the wake of the ‘mahakumbh mela’ at Haridwar.
The demand of power in Uttarakhand has gone up to 25-26 million units from 17 million units per day this year due to rapid industrialisation, urbanisation and other such factors.
